House committee hears Fire & EMS budget; department asks to repurpose blueprint funds, flags vacancies and revolving-fund strain

The House Ways and Means Committee on Monday held a public budget hearing with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, where the department outlined staffing vacancies, reliance on three revolving accounts to pay operations and utilities, pending federal grants and a request to repurpose $30,000 set aside for a new fire station blueprint to buy EMS equipment and supplies.

The Department of Fire and EMS told the committee it has 150 personnel across the CNMI and is averaging about 10 emergency medical calls a day. Commissioner Juan Puah said the department is handling nearly 1,000 fire suppression responses and thousands of EMS calls while seeking additional equipment, vehicles and training to maintain response capability.

The briefing mattered because the department said it has depended on three revolving accounts — the ambulance revolving account (1953), the fire safety code account (3563) and the fire lane code account — to pay for fuel, utilities, repairs, medical supplies and overtime when appropriations and reimbursements lag. “We are averaging about 10 calls a day,” Commissioner Juan Puah said. He asked the committee to allow greater flexibility in use of previously appropriated funds so the department can buy supplies and equipment needed for operations.

Committee members pressed the department for details about vacancies, overtime and how revolving funds are being…